Europe cannot sustain 100,000-strong Ukraine peacekeeping force, former British army chief warns
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Ex-army chief: Europe cannot sustain Ukraine peacekeeping force
- Former UK armed forces chief, General Lord Richards, warns that a 100,000-strong peacekeeping force in Ukraine is unsustainable for European nations.
- He suggests that such a force would be necessary to maintain peace but believes no European countries currently have the capacity to contribute adequately.
- Richards advocates for increased support to enable Ukrainians to defend themselves after a peace deal, rather than deploying a large peacekeeping force.
- He also criticizes the decline in the UK's armed forces capabilities since the mid-1990s, highlighting reductions in artillery, naval vessels, and air force capacity.
- While welcoming Labour's pledge to increase defense spending, Richards urges faster action to address the current limitations.